The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-01-13
Sold Himself as a Slave.

~
am, respectfully, LEILA BROWNE.
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Sold Himself as a Slave.
Sitting at the Grand hotel last evening
I heard one of the strangest romances OF
modern times-strange because it was
true, says writer in the Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette. How do | know it
was true? Well, the man who told it is
one of .Ohio's wealthiest citizens and q
man who does not tell what he is unable
to substantiate. But to the story. AS
near as I now remember, it ran as fol-
lows:
In 1S47 was steward on the Golden
Age, one of the finest passenger boats
that piled between Cincinnati and New
Orleans. 1t was in the days before rail-
roads and kilograms and when slavery
was at its prime. Well, one day strap
ping negro entered my Office, just as we
=
were about to sail, and asked me how /
would like to go into speculation with
him that would make us good deal Of
money. was young then and willing to
do most anything to make money that
was honest, and l told him to proceed,
with his proposition. "Well," he said,
sit is as follows: 1 am as likely negro
as can be found in these parts. l am q
free man. What want to do is for you
to take me to New Orleans and sell me
into slavery. | am worth $1,000. You
sell me and I will do what is right with
you.'
His proposition took my breath away
at first, it was SO startling.
aDo you want to go back into slave
ry?" Iasked, astonisbed.
"No, indeed, I does not" he answered.
aAnd yet you want to be sold?"
"Sure, sir, but Use likely nigger, and
I'll soon be back on your hands again."
I reasoned with the fellow in yain..
He knew no way Of making money so
easily as being sold. hesitated to ap-
pear in the role of slave dealer. I was
opposed to slavery in every form, but as
1 Thought over the subject l concluded
there would be nothing wrong in selling
the man, and at the last moment yielded
to his wishes and took him with me.
Upon arriving at New Orleans | at
once proceeded to the slave market,
which in 1S47 was one of the principal
business places of the city. I made my
object known, aud the next afternoon 1
was informed the sale would take place.
1 gave Charley-that was his first name
into the custody of the brokers and
left the market.
You can rest assured that l was on
hand early the next day, and when
Charley appeared I hardly knew him.
He had been dressed up in new planta-
ton suit, and had smart cap on his
head. His sleeves and trousers were
turned up. The bidding was lively, and
you can imagine my feelings, perhaps, as
/ saw human creature sold like horse,
and knowing l was responsible for it.
The auctioneers would run Charley up
and down the street like horse, and the
planters would feel of bis arms and legs
and ankles TO see if there were any blem-
ishes. When 81, 400 was bid the man
was declared sold TO prominent planter,
who gave me 81, 900 in cash and mort.
gage for the rest. I can tell you it was
not with the pleasantest feelings that I
started out on the return trip, after hav-
ing sold fellow creature into slavery.
Well, to make long story short, on
the third or fourth trip after that I was
awakened one night by tap on my
stateroom door, and was astonished to
find Charley waiting on the outside. I
took him down the river with me and
again sold him at Vicksburg. A month
later he turned up again and sold him
at private sale on the boat. Months
rolled on and had sold Charley at near
ly every port on the river, and then I
commenced to trade him off and get boot
money. I would then sell the slaves l
traded for, or give them their liberty,
whichever they preferred, but as my
slaves were nearly all old men they chose
to be resold. wes doing thriving bus
mess in the slave :, and had quite a
name on the river. At the end of the
year the mortgages began to fall due,
and I collected them with great regulari-
ty. think I sold Charley fifteen times
in all, and we divided $4,000 Or $4,000
between us as the result of our business
As selling an escaped slave was against
the law, and I had sold Charley fifteen
times, we had to end our profitable in-
vestment.
.what became of Charley?" asked
his friend.
"He went to Canada for awhile, was
married, and had quite family. His
name is Charles Fields, and be is now
living at Lafayette, Ind, or at town
near there, and is barber by occupation
What he did with his money / do moi
know, but there are no times now like
the old ones," and the speaker softly
chuckled to himself, and the story was
| ended.